Portable field-fence



s. e. TUFTS.

Portable Fence.

-1 Patented May-12, 1 57-.

N. Pin-ens, mummy-1 m washin 0. a

; UNITED STATES PATENT ()FFIGE.

SETH G. TUFTS, OF MAINVILLE, OHIO.

PORTABLE FIELD-FENCE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 17,302, datedll'lay 12, 18 57.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SETH Gr. Turrs, of Mainville, in the county of Warren and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Portable Fences; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the annexed drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a portion 0 my improved fence. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same; (w) (w) in Fig. 1 showing the plane of section. Fig. 3 is a plan or top view of the same. Fig. 4: is a detached side view of a chair. Fig. 5 is a side view of a chair and a transverse section of the fence, showing a modification of my improvement.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

This invent-ion relates to that class of fences which are made in sect-ions or panels, and commonly termed port-able and field fences.

This invention consists in supporting the panels vertically upon their lower coupling blocks; and in providing the chairs with vertical cleats.

To enable those skilled in the art to fully understand and construct my invention, I will proceed to describe it.

A represents rails or strips, of a suitable length and width. Any proper number of rails may be used; and they are secured at a proper distance apart, horizontally, by vertical battens, B, which are secured to either side by bolts or nails. A cap, C, is secured to the top rail of each section or panel,,as usual.

E, represents chairs, formed of plank, or stuff, of suitable width. These chairs are placed between the bases or lower ends of the sections, and transversely with them. The upper edge or surface of each chair, at its center, has a V-shaped notch (a) made in it, and the ends of the chair may be beveled or inclined, as shown clearly in Figs. 2, 4c, and 5.

The sections are connected at their upper ends by coupling blocks, F. These blocks are fitted between the bat-tens, B, at the ends of the section, and pins or wedges (b) are driven one through each end of the blocks; the battens being allowed to bear firmly against the pins or wedges. This is effected by making the upper ends of the sections rather shorter than the lower ends; and by elevating the end of one section while the second. pin or wedge is being driven in the block. lhenboth'pins are in the sections, and the sections allowed to descend to a horizontal position, the battens will bear firmly against the pins or wedges. Similar coupling blocks, G, with pins or wedges (0) passing through their ends, are inserted between the battens, B, at their lowerends. The blocks, G, rest or fit in the notches (co) in the chairs; and as these notches are of V-shape, the blocks, Gr, even if of varying thicknesses, are allowed to fit snugly therein, and the chairs may be inclined more or less when required, corresponding to the nature of the ground, (the cleats being correspondingly inclined,) without at all affecting the position of the sections or panels, which should always be vertical.

To each side of the chairs, E, two cleats, (cl) (d), are secured; the lower ends of the battens being between the cleats, as shown clearly in Fig. 2. The cleats and blocks, 0, with the wedges (a) passing through their ends, firmly secure the bases of'the sections together and to the chairs.

- I would state that, instead of the cleats, (d) (cl), pins or wedges, (e) (e), may be driven transversely through the chairs, as shown in Fig. 5; a

each side of the battens. These, however,

are equivalent to the cleats; but I consider the cleats preferably.

A patent was formerly obtained by me on an improved portable fence, in which the coupling blocks, E, were usedv for connecting the upper parts of the sections; the bases of the sections, however, were supported by chairs; tenons being formed on the ends of the lower rails; and the tenons fitting in mortises in the chairs. The objection to this mode is, that the tenons are liable to be broken off the rails, and are also liable to decay, as the mortises receive and retain moisture; the moisture not being allowed to evaporate readily.

In all fences that have their panels sup ported upon tenons formed upon the ends of the rails, the tenon rails must be longer than the remaining rails. A waste of stuff also occurs in forming the tenon rail; and when the tenon rots OK, the entire rail must be removed and a new one substituted.

In my improvement, no tenon rails are pm or wedge belng atv required; the rails are all of the same length, and the fence is therefore more cheaply made, and consumes less lumber and less labor. Besides this, the coupling blocks Gr, upon which the fence is supported vertically, can be readily renewed when they decay, at a trifling cost, without disturbing the rails at all. My improvement is therefore important as relates to the repair of the fence. Without some such lateral support as that obtained from the cleats (cl), of course the fence would topple over. But the fence being Well supported, both laterally and vertically, rests firmly upon the ground, and forms a good substitute for sunken post fences and other species of inclosures.

I do not claim the coupling blocks, nor the chairs, nor the method of holding the panels together, as these are old, being seen, substantially, in therejected case of Bramble & Trump, 1856, and the patents of G. R. lVIcIlroy, Sept. 30, 1856, and J. G. Hunt, 1856, and Garlick & Blackstone, 1857. But in none of the above examples, nor in any. other portable fence, are the panels supported vertically upon the lower connecting block, nor are the chairs provided with upright cleats to give the necessary lateral sup port, as in my improvement. Therefore What I claim as new in portable fences, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

Supporting the panels vertically upon the coupling blocks G; I also claim providing the chairs E with upright cleats (d) all as described.

SETH G. TUFTS.

Witnesses CHARLES FOND, MOSES Tours. 

